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As a high school senior, Destinee Francis had never heard of risk management. But that’s where she’s now thriving thanks to a pivotal decision early in her college career.

Francis initially enrolled at the ��˾�������� as a nursing student, but she quickly realized that while she loved building relationships with patients, she wanted a healthcare career focused on leadership, not bedside care.

“I still knew that I wanted to work in health care,” she recalls.

By transitioning to the online B.S. in Health Services Administration, Francis gained vital insights into the business of health care along with the flexibility to continue working as a restaurant shift leader as she pursued her degree.

Building a Foundation

Applicable coursework and meaningful connections validated Francis’ decision to pursue health care management long before she received her diploma.

Through courses like HSA 305: Health Care Reimbursement Methodologies, she gained a practical understanding of health care systems she could take with her into the workforce.

“We learned about things like Medicaid, Medicare, and other forms of insurance patients use and how billing those insurance systems works,” she says. “I really enjoyed HSA 305, particularly.”

Francis also formed close relationships with both her peers and instructors.

“All of my professors did a good job of staying in contact with us throughout each course and helping us with whatever we needed. Plus, the class sizes were small, so I really got to know my classmates and instructors, even though it was all online,” she says.

“When I graduated, there were maybe 10 or 11 other people from the program who were also graduating. We took pretty much every class together, and we built a strong bond throughout the program.”

“Some of us who lived locally all went to the Graduation Expo — where you try on your cap and gown and everything — and walked through it together. We still stay in touch through social media.”

Ensuring Patient Safety

In HSA 409: Heath Services Administration Capstone, students apply what they’ve learned through an internship or capstone project. Francis chose an internship in risk management and performance improvement at a behavioral health hospital.

“I really fell in love with risk management through my internship,” she says. “It was nice seeing the different aspects of the job. No two days are the same.”

At the end of her internship, the hospital offered her a part-time job as a risk management and performance improvement assistant. Five months later, she accepted a full-time offer as a risk manager for one of the hospital’s sister facilities, a residential psychiatric treatment center.

As risk manager, Francis oversees a range of duties, including writing and processing incident reports, ensuring compliance with state and federal guidelines, and continually assessing her facility for potential risks to patient health.

“One of the things I do is perform what we call ‘safety catches,’” she explains. “I’ll walk around the facility and inspect different rooms just to make sure that there’s nothing that could potentially pose a risk to a patient.”

Her favorite part of the job, she adds, is the human side.

“My facility is a long-term inpatient facility, so I love getting to know and interact with our patients when I can.”

Blazing New Trails

When Francis accepted her B.S. in Health Services Administration degree during UL ��˾��������’s Fall 2024 commencement exercises, it marked a profound milestone. 

“I’m a first-generation college student and the first of my nine siblings to earn a degree. It felt great to make my family proud at graduation.”

Francis hopes to continue advancing her education and career by earning her master’s degree in health care administration. Her ultimate goal? Becoming a hospital CEO.

Become an administrative leader in health care through UL ��˾��������’s online bachelor’s in health services administration.

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